Canned fuel adapter for absorption-type refrigeration unit

ABSTRACT

A CANNED FUEL ADAPTER MECHANISM FOR MOUNTING A CONTAINER OF CANNED LIQUID FUEL THERETO AND PROVIDING FOR POSITIONING OF SUCH CANNED FUEL INTO HEAT TRANSFERRING COACTION WITH THE GENERATOR OF AN ABSORPTION-TYPE REFRIGERATION UNIT, FOR OPERATING THE LATTER. THE ADAPTER COMPRISES A COMBUSTION SECTION AND A DUCT SECTION FOR TRANSMITTING THE HEAT FROM A CONTAINER OF THE BURNING FUEL TO THE GENERATOR OF THE REFRIGERATION UNIT, AND INCLUDES MEANS FOR QUICKLY POSITIONING THE CONTAINER OF FUEL IN COACTING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GENERATOR HEAT INLET PIPE USUALLY FOUND UNDERNEATH THE REFRIGERATION UNIT.

Sept. 21, 1971 "c. F. SCHMIDT 3,

CANNED FUEL ADAPTER FOR ABSORPTION-TYPE REFRIGERATION UNIT Filed June 23. 1969 m 4r= 777/ 1 2 ////////////////41////////////////r INVENTOR. CARL F. SCHMIDT BY MR ATT 3,606,765 CANNED FUEL ADAPTER FOR ABSORPTION- TYPE REFRIGERATION UNIT Carl F. Schmidt, 3999 Green St., Perry, Ohio 44081 Filed June 23, 1969, Ser. No. 835,448 Int. Cl. F25b 15/00; F24b 5/00 US. Cl. 62476 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates in general to absorption-type refrigeration units and more particularly to a canned fuel adapter mechanism for use in positioning a container of canned liquid fuel with respect to the generator heat inlet of the refrigeration unit for activating the latter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Absorption-type refrigeration units are well known in the art. Propane gas is oftentimes utilized for furnishing the heat to the generator of the refrigeration unit when the latter is used in an environment or location where city gas is not available. Many times, however, it is not desirable or possible to utilize propane gas due to the inherent dangerous nature of the propane gas. One such example where propane gas is not desirable for use is on relatively small watercraft having an absorption-type refrigeration unit for storage of food and the like. However, canned liquid fuel such as, for instance, Sterno canned heat can be much more safely utilized on board such watercraft without the dangers inherent in connection with the use of propane gas.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an adapter mechanism making it possible to expeditiously utilize canned liquid fuel for furnishing the heat to the generator of an absorption-type refrigeration unit, thus materially increasing the safety conditions in the operation of such an absorptiontype refrigeration unit. The adapter mechanism is such that it facilitates the proper positioning of the container of the canned liquid fuel into communication with the conventional generator heat inlet pipe which usually projects downwardly from the underside of the absorption-type refrigeration unit, and is so arranged that when one container of canned fuel is exhausted another can be expeditiously inserted in its place.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a novel adapter mechanism for use in positioning canned liquid fuel in communication with a generator of an absorption-type refrigeration unit.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adapter mechanism of the latter type which includes guide means thereon for guiding the container of canned fuel into proper coacting relationship with the generator heat inlet pipe of the refrigeration unit.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an adapter mechanism for canned liquid fuel for use in connection with an absorption-type refrigeration unit which includes means thereon for varying the amount of combustion air available during combustion of the canned fuel to thus control the temperature of the heat furnished to the generator of the refrigeration unit.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an adapter mechanism of the latter type which includes means thereon responsive to the temperature in the adapter unit for automatically varying the amount of combustion air applied to the canned fuel to thus maintain a predetermined temperature of heat applied to the generator.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an adapter mechanism of the above discussed type which is simple in design and which can be economically manufactured, and which expeditiously provides for the positioning of canned liquid fuel into coacting relationship with the generator heat inlet of an absorption-type refrigeration unit, and in a manner whereby the canned fuel can be readily replaced upon exhaustion thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partially broken side elevational view of a canned fuel adapter mechanism in accordance with the present invention shown in coacting relationship with a depending heat inlet pipe of a generator of an absorptiontype refrigeration unit;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view taken generally along the plane 2-2 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The generator heat inlet pipe 10 projects downwardly from the absorption-type refrigeration unit 12, into the space 14 conventionally located beneath the refrigeration unit. The lower portion of the pipe 10 may include a flange 16 thereon spaced slightly above the lower end 16a of the generator heat inlet pipe.

The adapter mechanism 17 in the embodiment illustrated comprises a preferably fabricated heat transferring member 18 including a longitudinally extending duct portion 18a having a depending portion 18b at one end thereof defining a combustion chamber. Chamber portion 18b may be of generally circular configuration and may have a series of spaced openings 20 therein spaced about the periphery of the chamber portion, which are adapted to permit the passage of atmospheric air into the chamber 18b to combine with the fuel in canned liquid fuel container 22, and support the combustion of the liquid fuel. The heated gases of combustion pass upwardly from the chamber portion 18b into the duct portion 18a and therealong and thence into the generator pipe 10. In this connection there is provided a heat exit opening 24 in the top wall of portion 18a, adjacent the left hand end (with reference to FIG. 1) of the duct portion, which is adapted to receive the lower end of the generator heat inlet pipe 10 therein in relatively snug relation. As can be seen, the lower end of the chamber portion 18b is received in relatively snug relation in the conventional round opening 26v found in an uncapped can of liquid fuel, such as for instance a can of Sterno cooking fuel, with such lower end of the chamber portion 18b being open for communicating with the vapors rising from liquid fuel in container 22.

An air adjustment band or collar 28 may be provided which encircles the exterior of the combustion chamber portion 18b with the air adjustment band 28 having a plurality of openings 28a formed therein which are generally complementarily spaced to the aforementioned openings 20 in the wall of the combustion chamber portion 18b. Air adjustment band 28 may be adjustably held in predetermined ring-like configuration by means of fastener .30 coacting through openings in the ears 32 on the band 28. Band 28 may be supported and guided on the exterior of combustion chamber portion 18b and maintained in proper position with respect to the openings 20 therein by means of studs 34 projecting laterally outwardly from the exterior of the combustion chamber wall. Fastener 30 may be so adjusted and thus the size of the band 2 8- may be made such so that the band 28 is relatively freely rotatable and movable in a generally horizontal plane with respect to the combustion chamber portion 18b. It will be seen that upon rotation of the adjustment band 28 with respect to the chamber portion 1 812, the openings 20 into the combustion chamber portion 18b are selectively changed in size, thus varying the amount of air available for combustion of the fuel in the container 22.

Thermostat 40 may be provided interiorly of the duct portion 18a for automatically actuating the air adjustment band 28 and thus automatically controlling the combustion of the fuel in container 2 2. Thermostat 40 comprises, in the embodiment illustrated, a thermostatic coil 41 and an actuator member 42 rotatably mounted at one end as at 42a in the end wall of the heat transfer duct portion 18a and extending downwardly at its other end through a slot 44 in the bottom wall of duct section 18a, and between the aforementioned ears 32 of air adjustment band 28. Support 43 mounted interiorly of duct portion 18a may rotatably mount said other end of the actuator member. Coil 41 may be secured at one end thereof to actuator 42 and at the other end thereof to support 43. As the temperature in the duct section 18a increases, the thermostatic coil 41 twists, thus applying torque to the actuator member 42, causing it to rotate with respect to duct section 18a and thus applying a lateral pressure to one or the other of the ears 32 of air adjustment band 28. The adjustment band is thus rotated with respect to the chamber section 18b, resulting in cutting ofl? or closing of portions of the openings 20 in the chamber section, and thus reducing the amount of air available for combustion. This will, of course, cut down on the combustion of the fuel. As the temperature in duct portion 1 8a drops, the coil 41 twists in the opposite direction thus once again applying a rotational force to actuator member 42 and applying a lateral force to the other of the ears -32 on the air adjustment ring 28. Such movement once again opens up the openings 20 in the combustion section 1 8b, thereby once again increasing the burning of the fuel and tending to increase the heat applied via duct section 18a to the generator 10.

Any suitable ignition means can be provided for igniting the fuel and air mixture in combustion chamber portion 18b. For instance, a conventional match could be utilized through the openings 218a and 20 into the combustion chamber. However, there also may be provided an ignition arrangement 45 as illustrated. Such arrangement may include a striker wheel 45a disposed interiorly of the member 1-.8 adjacent to or in the combustion portion 18b and connected to a rotatable stem 45b and operating knob 45c. Striker wheel 45a is disposed in frictional coaction with a flint 46 held in engaged relation with the striker wheel by means of threadedly adjustable stem 46a. Rotation of the striker wheel 45a creates a spark which ignites the fuel-air mixture in the combustion chamber section 18b, thus causing combustion of the fuel in container 22 and thus applying heat via duct section 18a to the heat inlet tube of the generator of the absorption-type refrigeration unit.

Adapter mechanism 17 also includes a generally U- shaped clamp 52 which is secured to a base section 53 of guide member 54, having a handle portion 54a at one end thereof. Guide member 54 has a flexible downwardly and then upwardly curved leaf-like spring section 56 at its left-hand end (with reference to FIG. 1) with such curved spring section 56 and base section 53 being adapted to be received in a track 58 which may be secured to the floor surface beneath the refrigeration unit. Track 58 guides the movement of the adapter mechanism 17 and attached canned liquid fuel container 22 into proper coaction with the generator heat inlet pipe 10. The somewhat flexible arms of U-shaped clamp portion 52 grip the sides of the duct section 18a and also grip opposite sides of the canned fuel container 22, and thus holds the canned fuel container 22 in predetermined clamped position on slide member 54. The upwardly converging sloping walls of the duct section 18a facilitates the removal of member 54 and attached clamp 52 from coaction with the heat transfer member 1 8 of the adapter mechanism, thus providing for ready replacement of the fuel container 22 upon exhaustion thereof.

The aforementioned spring section 56 of member 54 urges the adapter mechanism upwardly into coacting relationship with the underside of the generator pipe 10 and due to the flexible nature of the spring section 56, it permits ready movement of the adapter mechanism as guided by rail 58, into coaction with the generator pipe. In this connection the left-hand end (with reference to FIG. 1) of member 18 preferably has a ramp section 60 embodied therewith and projecting forwardly therefrom so that as the slide member 54 moves along the rail 58, the ramp section 60 will engage the lower end of the generator pipe to guide the pipe up the ramp section to be received in the opening 24 in the top wall of the duct section 18a. During this upward movement of the pipe along the ramp 60, the aforementioned flexible leaf spring section 56 may flex so as to permit the downward tipping of the left-hand end of the adapter mechanism until such time as the lower end of the generator pipe enters the opening 24 at which time the spring section 56 forces the left-hand end of the adapter mechanism upwardly into snug relationship with respect to the generator pipe. The leading end of the ramp section 60 may be flared as at 62 (FIG. 2) to facilitate receipt of the pipe 10 onto the ramp. Removal of the canned fuel container 22 and coacting adapter mechanism from coaction with the generator pipe 10 can be readily accomplished by lifting up on handle portion 54a of slide member 54, thus causing downward movement of the left-hand end of the adapter mechanism against the resistance to deformation of the spring section 56 of slide 54, thus permitting the adapter mechanism and canned fuel container 22 to be moved toward the right (with respect to FIG. 1) permitting the lower end of the generator pipe 10 to slide outwardly along the ramp portion 60, to thus accomplish removal of the mechanism and fuel container from beneath the refrigeration unit 12. If the fuel in container 22 is exhausted, merely slipping the clamp portion 52 thereof out of coacting relationship with the duct section 18a permits removal of member 18 from the container 22, and replacement of the container with a fresh container of fuel.

The adapter mechanism can be readily formed from sheet metal or other relatively inexpensive materials and therefore provides an economical and readily manufactured mechanism for positioning canned liquid fuel containers into coacting relationship to an absorption-type refrigeration unit.

From the foregoing discussion and the accompanying drawings it will be seen that the invention provides an adapter mechanism for canned liquid fuel for expeditiously positioning a container of such canned fuel in coacting relationship with a generator of an absorption-type refrigeration unit, and an adapter mechanism which expedites the replacement of the container of canned fuel upon exhaustion thereof. The invention also provides an adapter mechanism which has means coacting therewith for automatically adjusting the amount of air available for combustion of the fuel so as to maintain a generally uniform application of heat to the generator of the refrigeration unit.

The terms and expressions which have been utilized are used as terms of description, and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of any of the features shown or described, or portions thereof, and it is understood that changes may be made in the apparatus herein illustrated without departing from the teachings of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a canned fuel adapter mechanism for an absorption-type refrigeration unit comprising, heat transfer means having an inlet opening and an exit opening therein, said inlet opening being adapted for coaction with the open end of a container of canned liquid fuel for transferring heat from burning fuel in the container through said heat transfer means to said exit opening therein, said exit opening being adapted for coacting communication with the usual generator heat inlet pipe on an absorption-type refrigeration unit, said heat transfer means including a combustion section adjacent said inlet opening, said combustion section including means for admitting combustion air, means for varying the amount of air admissible to said combustion section for varying the combustion of fuel in the container, and temperature responsive means coacting with said heat transfer means for automatically adjusting said air varying means in accordance with a predetermined temperature in said heat transfer means.

2. A mechanism in accordance with claim 1 including means for holding a container of canned fuel in coaction with said inlet opening, the last mentioned means including a clamp for releasably gripping a container of canned fuel, an elongated guide member coupled to said clamp, and means adapted for coaction with said guide member for guiding the movement of the adapter mechanism and an associated container of canned fuel into coaction with the generator heat inlet of the refrigeration unit.

3. A mechanism in accordance with claim 2 wherein said elongated guide member includes spring-like means for urging said exit opening upwardly into engagement with the underside of the generator pipe, when a container of the canned fuel and associated adapter mechanism is disposed beneath the refrigerator unit.

4. A mechanism in accordance with claim 3 including handle means on said guide member for moving it with respect to said guiding means.

5. A mechanism in accordance with claim 1 including means for selectively igniting fuel in the container.

6. A mechanism in accordance with claim 1 wherein said heat transfer means comprises an elongated generally horizontally oriented duct having a depending portion adjacent one end thereof, said depending portion defining said combustion section communicating with said inlet opening and adapted for communication via said inlet opening with an open top container of canned liquid fuel, said duct having a ramp portion adjacent said exit opening, said ramp portion comprising movement facilitating means for facilitating movement of said exit opening into coacting communication with the generator heat inlet pipe of the refrigeration unit so as to communicate the pipe with the interior of the duct.

7. A mechanism in accordance with claim 1 wherein said air varying means comprises a collar member rotatably mounted with respect to said combustion section and adapted for coaction with said air admitting means, said temperature responsive means coacting with said collar member for rotatably moving said collar member with respect to said air admitting means.

8. A mechanism in accordance with claim 7 wherein said means for admitting combustion air comprises a plurality of spaced openings in said combustion section, said collar member having a plurality of openings therethrough adapted for coaction with said openings in said combustion section for varying the combustion air depending on the rotative position of said collar member with respect to said combustion section.

9. In a canned fuel adapter mechanism for an absorption-type refrigeration unit comprising, heat transfer means having an inlet opening and an exit opening therein, said inlet opening being adapted for coaction with the open end of a container of canned liquid fuel for transferring heat from burning fuel in the container through said heat transfer means to said exit opening therein, means for facilitating movement of said exit opening into coacting communication with the usual generator heat inlet pipe on an absorption-type refrigeration unit, whereby canned fuel can be expeditiously placed in coacting relation with the generator heat inlet of the refrigeration unit, means on said mechanism for holding a container of canned liquid fuel in coaction with said inlet opening, the last mentioned means including a clamp for releasably gripping a container of canned fuel, an elongated guide member coupled to said clamp, means adapted for coaction with said guide member for guiding the movement of the adapter mechanism and an associated container of canned fuel into coaction with the generator heat inlet of the refrigeration unit, said elongated guide member including spring-like means for urging said exit opening upwardly into engagement with the underside of the generator pipe when a container of the canned fuel and associated adapter mechanism are disposed beneath the refrigerator unit, handle means on said guide member for moving it with respect to said guiding means, and wherein said heat transfer means comprises an elongated generally horizontally oriented duct having a depending portion adjacent one end thereof, said depending portion defining a combustion section open at the underside thereof to provide said inlet opening, said depending portion being adapted to be received in generally snug relation in the open top of a container of canned liquid fuel, said duct in transverse cross section being of trapezoidal configuration, said clamp including a generally U-shaped portion adapted to receive a container of fuel and assembled heat transfer means between the arms of the U-shaped portion for holding the container in coaction with said inlet opening, said arms having converging distal end portions adapted for surface-to-surface gripping engagement with the sides of said duct.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,879,954 9/ 1932 Smith 126-43 2,23 3,750 3/ 1941 Schullstrom 6'2-476X 3,130,774 4/ 1964 Kruck 126-43X 3,182,707 5/1965 Batson 431-202X WILLIAM F. ODEA, Primary Examiner P. D. FERGUSON, Assistant Examiner US. 01. X.R. 126-15, 43; 236-93 

